Cost of hiring in Cleveland, OH
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Cleveland, with about 15,900 people1. Medians run from $36,320 a year for virtual receptionists to $95,000 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Cleveland
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +2.8% | 15,900 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.6% | 780 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +1.5% | 1,370 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.0% | 7,120 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -0.8% | 900 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.0% | 10,450 | |
| Paralegal | -3.1% | 2,960 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.6% | 8,660 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.7% | 650 | |
| Accountant | -4.4% | 10,740 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.4% | 5,700 | |
| Recruiter | -6.6% | 6,330 | |
| Office Manager | -7.0% | 8,590 | |
| Project Coordinator | -7.2% | 6,340 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -9.4% | 5,440 | |
| Executive Assistant | -10.5% | 2,170 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.5% | 7,710 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $46,040 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $59,406 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Cleveland against the US
Cleveland pays above the US median for 3 of the 17 roles, most of all for customer support specialists (+2.8%) and e-commerce order specialists (+2.6%), and below it for 12, furthest for sales development representatives (-14.5%). For medical administrative assistants and data entry specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -3.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for customer support specialists, #98 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #250 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Cleveland has more e-commerce order specialists (0.8% of these jobs here, against 0.5% nationally) and payroll specialists (1.3% against 1.0%), and fewer executive assistants (2.1% against 2.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Houston-Pasadena, TX is nearest, at -3.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minot, ND | -3.5% | 12 | 2,360 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -3.6% | 17 | 7,310 |
| Cleveland, OH | -3.7% (this area) | 17 | 101,810 |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | -3.7% | 17 | 349,890 |
| Kenosha, WI | -3.8% | 16 | 6,200 |
| Ogden, UT | -3.8% | 16 | 22,220 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Cleveland span $38,890–$123,010, the widest band (3.2×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $38,290–$59,390. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 17 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, accountants and office managers: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($68,350 against a $59,830 median for sales development representatives).
Cleveland against Ohio
Against Ohio as a whole, Cleveland pays more for 6 of 17 roles, led by medical administrative assistants (+3.7%) and payroll specialists (+3.2%), and less for 2, most of all marketing specialists (-2.0%). Its best rank within Ohio is #2 of 15 areas, for paralegals.
Other areas in Ohio
By jobs in these roles, Cleveland is #3 of 16 areas in Ohio. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Columbus to the Southern Ohio nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 107,810 | 17 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | 107,430 | 17 |
| Akron, OH | 31,320 | 17 |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | 30,580 | 17 |
| Toledo, OH | 23,500 | 17 |
| North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | 17,530 | 17 |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | 16,180 | 16 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 13,420 | 17 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | 12,130 | 17 |
| Southern Ohio (Nonmetro) | 11,260 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Cleveland?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $95,000 a year, about $122,581 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,320.
Is hiring in Cleveland cheaper than the US median?
For 12 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-14.5%). 3 pay more than the US median, led by customer support specialists (+2.8%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.